Vehicle exhaust systems often include exhaust after-treatment devices that filter or otherwise treat the exhaust prior to releasing the exhaust into the environment. The after-treatment devices can be damaged if the exhaust temperatures become too high. Temperature sensors are sometimes placed in the exhaust system, and a controller monitors temperature data received from the temperature sensors.
Some control systems rely on data from temperature sensors to detect a thermal event. For example, one system determines that there is a thermal event, and initiates a protective action, when two sensors indicate that a predetermined temperature has been reached for a predetermined amount of time. A “thermal event” is an exhaust system operating condition or set of conditions that have been determined to potentially lead to component damage. Accordingly, it is desirable that control systems anticipate, prevent, or quickly limit the duration of a thermal event.